There are many contributors to the evolution of consciousness. Learning about oneself, the universe and the way the world works is extremely important. These are the top 15 quotes I have found from various spiritual teachers, gurus, writers, artists, scientists and philosophers.
1. Ryunosuke Satoro
"Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an Ocean".
In the vast sea of consciousness, each of us is a wave. We are all working together to create a greater universe. This quote reminds me that I'm not alone, although sometimes it may feel that way.
2. Eckhart Tolle
"Do not resist your pain. Surrender to the grief, despair, loneliness or whatever the form suffering takes. Witness it without labeling it mentally. Allow it to be there. Embrace it. Then see how the miracle of surrendering transmutes deep suffering into deep peace."
This quote reminds me to stay positive whenever I feel a little down. We must first honor the way we feel in order to understand it. The emotions we feel are there for a reason.
3. Neil deGrasse Tyson
"The atoms of our bodies are traceable to stars that manufactured them in their cores and exploded these enriched ingredients across our galaxy, billions of years ago. For this reason, we are biologically connected to every other living thing in the world. We are chemically connected to all molecules on Earth. And we are atomically connected to all atoms in the universe. We are not figuratively, but literally stardust.”
Tyson is a scientific marvel and his series Cosmos on Netflix is a great watch. He is great at explaining how we have evolved into what we are today, exposing the history of philosophers and free-thinkers, and comparing the human connection to space.
4. The Dalai Lama
"Everyday, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to have woken up. I am alive and have a precious human life. I am not going to waste it. I am going to use all my energies to develop myself to expand my heart out to others, to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. I am going to have kind thoughts towards others, I am not going to get angry or think badly about others. I am going to benefit others as much as I can."
A lot of people take for granted the fact that they are alive. I practice waking up each day and thanking the universe for allowing me to be alive for another day. Recognizing your breath is important. Pranayama breathing exercises and meditation are a great way to begin.
5. John Lennon
"Imagine all the people living life in peace. You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us, and the world will be as one."
Lennon dreamt of world peace, as do many others. This quote reminds me that there are other dreamers like me out there, striving to change the world and bring peace to all beings.
6. Lao Tzu
"If you want to awaken all of humanity then awaken all of yourself. If you want to eliminate the suffering in the world, then eliminate all that is dark and negative in yourself. Truly, the greatest gift you have to give is that of your own self-transformation,"
It is important to remember that you cannot change the outer world without first changing your inner world. Self-transformation is extremely powerful because the better person you are the better you can be for others and ultimately, the world.
7. Bob Marley
"The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively."
Marley was an amazing artist and provided the world with positivity through his music. Positive energy can heal the universe.
8. Jimi Hendrix
"When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace."
Another influential musician is Hendrix. He was serious about spreading the love. He reminds me of the system of power in this world. But, his belief that love will someday outweigh power is hopeful.
9. Osho
"Now is the only reality. All else is either memory or imagination."
Live in the moment. Experience all the miraculous, painful and strange things life has to offer. Practice mindfulness and embrace every second of this life. Worrying about the future is just anxiety and thinking about the mistakes of the past stops one from letting go of the past.
10. Alan Watts
"You didn't come into this world. You came out of it, like a wave from the ocean. You are not a stranger here."
Human existence is merely a wave in a greater ocean of consciousness. Watts teaches that humans are an eccentric part of the universe and should feel comfortable and trust themselves.
11. Carl Sagan
"Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there-on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam."
Sagan was a cosmologist and author who developed the Pale Blue Dot belief. This dot is a photograph of planet earth taken in 1990 by Voyager 1, showing the family portrait of the Solar System. Within this photo, Earth appears smaller than a pixel, as a tiny dot in the entirety of space.
This often makes me question the significance of human life. When we are so small, why do we worry so much about mere human problems? There is so much out there than ourselves. I am reminded to think bigger than myself.
12. Socrates
"I am the wisest man alive, for I know one thing, and that is that I know nothing."
A wise man once said nothing. Knowledge is simply having an open mind to all possibilities rather than arguing that what you believe is the only truth.
13. Mahatma Gandhi
"You must be the change you wish to see in the world."
A lot of people can agree on the fact that the world needs to change. But, the main problem is that people don't want to change themselves. We need to be the person that contributes to changing the world if we actually want it to change.
14. Nikola Tesla
"It is paradoxical yet true, to say, that the more we know, the more ignorant we become in the absolute sense, for it is only through enlightenment that we become conscious of our limitations. Precisely one of the most gratifying results of intellectual evolution is the continuous opening up of new and greater prospects."
Again, a spiritual teacher that argues about the greatness of open-mindedness. We need to be open to all possibilities to truly experience life.
15. Buddha
"He who experiences the unity of life sees his own Self in all beings and all being in his own self."
One of the greatest things I have learned is unity. Everything in this universe is connected, in one way or another. The understanding of this leads to ultimate enlightenment. We are one.
A little message to all the spiritual teachers who have inspired me and tons of others: Thanks for helping change the world.
